After Parkland Shooting, VA Youth Voter Registration Skyrockets

According to a new TargetSmart analysis, voting registration rates for voters aged 18-29 have increased over the last seven months in Virginia, along with 38 other key battleground states. These results indicate that youth turnout is on the rise just in time for this year’s midterm and state primary elections.

Graph courtesy of TargetSmart

This increase in youth voter registration comes after the creation of popular youth-led movements such as “March for Our Lives”, #EnoughIsEnough and #NeverAgain, which all address gun violence issues. A poll conducted by Harvard University’s Institute of Politics, found that after the Parkland school shooting on Valentine’s Day, 64 percent of 18-29 year-olds said they support common sense gun reforms.

“A new generation of political leaders emerged in the aftermath of the Parkland tragedy,” said TargetSmart CEO Tom Bonier. “We witnessed their ability to organize in Virginia and across the country as massive crowds took to the streets for the March for Our Lives, and now we’re seeing a quantifiable impact from that organizing. It remains to be seen how many of these younger registrants will cast a ballot in November, but they are poised to have a louder voice than ever in these critical midterm elections.”

The analysis also found that the number of youth registrants across the nation has amplified by 2.16 percent.

“As the largest eligible voting bloc, young people have the power to make the difference in critical races across the country, and it is clear that they are energized like never before to make their voices heard,” said NextGen America Executive Director Heather Hargreaves. “NextGen America has seen this passion firsthand, and has already registered over 5,000 young people to vote in Virginia this year alone. We are organizing every day to ensure that young voters head to the polls in November and ultimately create long-lasting political power necessary for progressive change in our country.”